Deloitte: half of viewers watch while the other half listen

A recent study indicates that marketers may only need to worry about 50% of the population. That is because only about half of Internet viewers are watching - video, ads or other content - and the other half is simply listening to what they have to say.

by Kristina Knight

Researchers found that the Millenial generation (ages 13-24) is leading the way with online content. With roughly 48 million users, this generation is leading the way in accepting new technologies and Web 2.0 products - blogs, podcasts and vlogs - and influencing the remaining adult demographics (Gen-X, ages 25-41, Baby Boomers, ages 42-60 and Matures (ages 61-75) to adopt these new content sources.

The study found that more than half of online adults are now reading or watching user generated content sources; the Millenial generation is reaching UGC at 71%. Still, traditional media (newspaper, television and radio) remain standbys for all generations with 79% of all online adults talking about or recommending favorite television shows to friends.

However, the way consumers are watching is changing. Rather than sitting at home on the couch, users are now connecting to televised programming via their cell phones or PDAs. Rather than simply reading the morning paper, users are reading the paper online. This is another reason that marketers need to adjust their thinking. With users turning to the Internet for "traditional" purposes, marketers need to embrace the medium as well.